


His

by Jewelle32



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-07
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-03-06 13:14:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3135782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jewelle32/pseuds/Jewelle32
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl takes care of Rick's children when he isn't able to and Merle saves Carl leading to unexpected feelings.<br/>The change in the status quo of the leaders shakes the group but they have to accept it along with the Dixons and of course, there's trouble ahead.</p><p>Just one shot – I hope you like. I just had this idea and had to write it down. I may have changed some details of what happened in Season 4 but oh well, never mind and Merle might be OC but that's the whole point of this story.</p><p>Enjoy! BTW, if enough people like this, I might write some more chapters. So, any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

His

i

We were out hunting deer and I raced after Dad and his boyfriend – Daryl of 6 years since Mom died giving birth to my sister. I still occasionally had nightmares about that day – having to be the one to kill her. I knew Dad still felt bad about that. That it was me who had to make sure she didn't come back when I was only 12.

But in the world we lived in, you had to grow up a lot quicker than before if you wanted to survive. There was no such things as having a childhood anymore and I felt relieved that my sister would never know what she was missing. School (although I'd hated it at the time), homework, riding your bike up and down the street, ice-creams (I missed them the most), the excitement fo the long summer vacation and finally the passage graduating But I would tell her and it would be like what a history lesson in school about the Romans had been for me. In some places there was still some ruins and relics left by them but she wouldn't even remember what it had been like before.

Dad had lost it then for a while too – had barely been aware of Judith and it had been Daryl who had roused everyone to get milk for her and saved her. She probably would have died if it hadn't been for him and that's when things had changed between them.

I guess Dad never forgot that he took care of his kids when he couldn't and that's when it had begun.

A little touch on the arm here, a manly squeeze of the shoulders there until it grew slowly into something else. I'd noticed them getting closer after Mom died but hadn't realised just how close.

I'd been disgusted and furious when he told me, in private before they announced it to the rest of the group. I'd spat at him that I hated him and that he was a filthy fag while his face had turned white. A natural reaction – to find that your own father takes it up the ass and naturally, I'd felt like he was betraying my dead mother.

I'd run away but Daryl had been the one to find me. I screamed insults at him and fought him until he cuffed me round the head. That had sobered me up even though it hadn't hurt – was just a warning and had thought that he probably wouldn't hit or really hurt a kid. Yet, I wasn't sure.

'Now...' He'd hissed in my face as he pinned me up against a tree trunk by the throat. Yet I'd been terrified because when he was angry, he was intimidating, especially when he loomed over me and glared at me with his pitiless, blue eyes.

'Lemme go!' I yelled, struggling. Unable to wriggle out of his iron grip.

He only smirked at me and bent his face close to mine. 'Now, boy. Ya gonna play nice if I do?'

'Fuck you! Ya fucked my Dad!'

'Thought not.' He paused. 'Yeah, I did fuck ya Dad and he loved every moment of it.'

My mind whirled and I felt sick – I never wanted to know all the sordid details and he sounded exactly like his brother,who scared me even more. So I was glad that Daryl had been the one to find me although of course, I wanted my Dad. Even though I told myself I never wanted to see him. Ever again.

Then he released me.

'I hate you!' I screamed childishly into his face. 'And him! Ya both fuckin' sick!'

'Look, I'm sorry. It must be a shock to you – me and ya Dad... Shouldn't have said that to ya jus' now. But...'

'My Dad ain't gay! Before – he'd never have a sex with another guy!'

'Well, sometimes things change. Who we like can change too, ya know. I thought ya were old enough to realise that.' He shrugged when I didn't reply. 'Me – I've been with girls too mostly...The thing with ya Dad jus'...jus' happened.' His voice trailed off and he looked down at the ground and blushed.

I blinked. Had he really just gone red? I felt my anger drain away from me. Well – most of it anyway.

'Why did you bother to' come lookin' for me?' I asked when what I really meant was why him and not my Dad and suddenly there was a painful lump in my throat . Because was he even looking for me? Did he care that I'd run off after what I called him? Said to him?

'Bet ya wish I weren't around and not in the way, then ya could have him all to yaself.'

'That ain't true!' He grabbed my face in his hands to eyeball me. I tried to draw back, to get away from his relentless gaze that I couldn't escapee. 'Ya his kid!'

I gaped at him.

'Look, I'm sorry about ya Mom...I lost mine when I was young like you too but ya still got ya Dad.'

I jerked away and he let me go.

'Ya his and he's mine so that makes you and Judith mine too, got it?' He ruffled my hair while I looked up at him in confusion. Not knowing what to feel now. What did he mean by that?

He grabbed his crossbow. 'Come on.'

I followed without a word, stumping along in a sulk yet I was relieved that he found me. That someone did.

Maybe he did really care about me because he kept looking back after me to make sure I was following.

'Come on!' He barked at me, forcing me to run and catch up. Once or twice, he reached down and swooped me up in a bear-hug until I shrugged him off irritably and he'd laugh.

ii Bare-ly legal

Set about 6 years later when Carl is 18.

It soon became clear what Daryl meant by calling me and Judith his. Meanwhile, it took me and the group time to adjust to the news that my Dad and him were together but they accepted it in the end. Even the most conservative religious folks. Besides, Daryl had quickly moved up to Rick's right man and second-in-command.

I was his – meant that Daryl had become kind of like my second Dad. I even confided to him stuff I'd done – like when I'd had sex because for some reason, I felt like I couldn't tell my real father. He'd nodded approvingly. 'Don't worry, I won't tell no-one.' Whatever I told him, he would just listen and not judge. He would only give advice if I asked for it.

Strange to say and I know that Judith saw him that way too. She even called him 'Pop'. It was OK for her – she didn't remember Mom although me and Dad tried to keep her memory alive as much as possible. Talk about her often and show my sister photos of her so that she knew what Mom used to look like and sad to say – I had to remind myself often otherwise I might forget. And Merle – well, even after 6 years, I still hadn't worked out how I felt about him. He treated me like son – had never done anything out of line exactly but sometimes I would see his eyes rove approvingly all over my body when he thought I wasn't looking, especially now I'd filled out. And instead of being worried, I felt myself shiver but not with fear, with excitement. I found myself wondering what sex with a man would be like...with someone as rough and rugged as Merle. Would he get rough, smack me to the ground and slap me around a little? Kick my legs open? They said that being taken by another man always hurt at first even if they prepared you. Yet, instead of frightening me, these fantasies of him taking me brutally only turned me on. I thought about having his much greater weight and muscles pinning me down and having him inside me at night...I'd jerk off to these fantasies involving me and my 'uncle' and they were one of the few things I felt that I couldn't talk about with Daryl. After all, he was his brother and that was too weird and he wouldn't be understanding when it came to him.

Beth had introduced me to sex in secret a couple of years ago in the woods and man, that had been an experience. But we weren't exactly together – she'd hooked up with Rex, a good-looking smart older guy in his late twenties. He'd been a cowboy down in Texas and had the drawl to match.

Didn't matter...If we'd got together and been official, it would have only upset the group. So, these days, she was more like the big sister I never had apart from the sex thing that only happened once.

I wondered what it was like growing up with 2 Dads and no Mom...but then she was the baby of the group, she was everybody's.

Daryl ruffled my hair fondly. 'Comin', kiddo?'

'Sure.' I got out my crossbow – smaller than his. He'd found it with Merle out on a run about a year ago, saved it up for my birthday and given it to me.

I grunted and flexed my muscles. I'd taken to working out like Shane. I wanted to be big and powerful like him but I had my Dad's small frame. I was slim but lean and wiry with it.

When I did that, I shivered to feel eyes moving all over my body, weighing me up and approving. I turned round to see my 'Uncle' -like he called himself jokingly sometimes, watching me.

I realised what it must have looked like probably he thought that I was showing off for him.

I turned away as I felt the deep burning blush spreading all over my cheeks. Meanwhile, I felt a worm of excitement curling up in my belly and even further down.

iii Merle is a gentleman for once

Merle slung an arm around me. Weren't no big deal...me and my three Daddies to the outside world. But his touch was different from my the other two men – Daryl's didn't send butterflies fluttering in my stomach. Or make my scalp burn when he ran his fingers through my scalp.

On the surface, harmless, paternal touches.

Yeah, right.

Without us saying anything, his hand moved down to my thigh where he scratched the inside of it casually with his fingernails through the denim. The fiery feelings spread through my skin.

'Wha..what ya doin'?' I stuttered.

'Nothin'.' He smirked and took his hand away and squeezed my shoulders.

Without anyone noticing, he drew back and kissed my nape, trailing kisses down the back of my neck where the others couldn't see. I stifled a gasp and arched against him.

'Ya like that, boy?' He whispered. 'Thought so. Anytime ya wanna have some special grown-up fun, ya come and see ya Ole Uncle Merle, OK?'

I was too stunned to answer, couldn't believe what had happened, what he just did. With that, he was just gone.

I thought about over the next few days – carefully considering his offer. He'd look over at me as if sizing me up or mocking me. Sometimes I could have told him to back off, it wasn't ever going to happen but everytime I tried to, my throat would seize up and I couldn't get the words out. He'd run his hand through my hair or squeeze my shoulders, setting off all those confusing feelings. He knew it of course, his infuriatingly smug grin said it all.

I didn't want to exclude any options after all. I didn't have a girlfriend and my dick was just aching for action. Not like I couldn't fix for myself – I'd been doing that since I was 10 after all.

After six days, I couldn't take it anymore. My Dads were oblivious...which was the way I liked it and when I pleaded feeling sick (I had a slight head-cold) for not going on the hunt, I saw 'Uncle' Merle snap his head round and grin at me. Then he nodded.

I nodded back and he poked his tongue out and licked his upper lip with it. Slowly.

I turned away, blushing furiously.

He went with them but he must have found a way to slip off them and double-back to camp and called outside my tent bout two hours later. I wasn't even surprised. In fact, I'd been lying on my air-mattress in breathless excitement, wanting him to come and find me and not to – swinging between the two like a pendulum. Butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

'Carl? I need to talk to ya, son.'

I unzipped the flap and looked out.

'Not here.' He jerked his eyes to the sides of his head. 'Follow me. Bring ya crossbow.'

Just as I expected, he led me to the woods. To a clearing that was rarely disturbed by the others.

…

'So, ya came, boy.' When he called me that, he always drawled and I knew that either I was in trouble and going to get for a tongue-lashing or that he wanted to put me in my place. The latter I thought. He was lounging against a tree when I thought he would have just jumped me and yanked down my pants and taken me like that. I didn't really know how sex between two guys worked.

So, I stood there, waiting nervously jogging from one foot to the other. Already regretting coming here. He must have read my mind.

'I ain't gonna jus' grab ya and throw ya to the ground. Or force ya. Ya gotta make the first move.' His lingering gaze moved up and down my body as he smiled like he liked what he saw.

'I...' I didn't know what to say.

He sighed in disappointment. 'Forget it. It's OK...no hard feelings.' But he watched me as if he was expecting me to do something but I didn't know what that was.

'Merle...'

'Should have known. Jus' a kid – should never have...' He was already getting ready to go.

He didn't get to finish before I rushed him and kissed him, putting all my fears aside. His scratchy stubble scratched my skin but it wasn't totally unpleasant. Meanwhile, he growled and made surprised, pleased sounds in his throat while he wound his hand in my hair and stroked my back.

'Ya know how long I waited for ya to do that, son?' He chuckled. 'I tell ya – when I thought that animal was gonna hurt ya like that, I regretted killin' him so quick. Ya were jus' a kid then, weren't ya?' I felt his hot breath in my hair and his fierce protectiveness made me my nerves abate a little and I wanted him! 'Ain't now. Now ya legal.' He growled in my ear.

He was talking about when we'd been ambushed by old enemies of my Dad's and Daryl had been with them. He hadn't known what they were. The greasy-haired one had pinned me down to rape me in front of my father and I'd fought like a wild-cat while the others got busy beating Daryl to death.

That was until Merle shot the fat bastard trying to tear my clothes off, giving Dad an opening to slit the leader's throat. He'd saved all of us that day and we hadn't even known that he was there. He never did tell us why he was following us but it was lucky he was.

I remembered that day – the man's heavy body pinning me down, roughly forcing his tongue into my mouth while he ripped my clothes off. The worst thing about it was that it was in front of my father – I was scared afterwards that he would look at me differently. Maybe like I was a fag like him which I apparently was. The past still had a grip on me.

I drew back and Merle realised what a jackass he'd been to bring it up again – especially now. Or regretted maybe losing his chance with me.

'Sh...' He crooned and stroked my hair before he started to kiss my throat softly. 'It's over now. Ya safe.'

'Yeah it is. Fuck it.' I heard myself snarl, sounding like my other Daddy and therefore him before I shoved him against the tree and his eyes flew wide at my eagerness. 'So, Uncle Merle...' I drawled. 'Ya gonna teach me...?' I asked, looking up at him with wide-opened innocent eyes, I sensed he would like that.

He did.

He took the hint that I wanted to turn things up a notch when he started feeling me up all under my shirt. His finger tips grazing and rubbing my nipples.

'Ya ever fucked before?' He hissed in my ear before he started attacking my throat.

'Yeah...' I moaned thinking of Beth and a few other girls who'd come our way.

'A man?' His breathing was too harsh in my ear while he waited breathlessly for my answer. I shook my head.

'Didn't think so, baby.' He started playing with my nipples and started to take my shirt off.

I arched against him and moaned and he made a pleased sound in his throat.

'It's OK, let Uncle Merle show ya how...'

I nodded eagerly and started to grind against him, my excitement was building.

'I'll take care of ya, make ya feel really good.' Now my shirt was all the way off and I felt a moment of shyness. Maybe he would think I was puny and unattractive.

'Sh...' He hugged me and stroked my hair and rubbed my back. 'I ain't gonna hurt ya. Ya two Daddies would kill me for one.'

I laughed at that. It was a joke in the camp that I had two Daddies, three if you included Merle but most people didn't. For good reason it had turned out.

'First things, first, Carlena. I got a big problem. Care to help me with it?' He pointed downwards to his groin. I knew what he wanted of course, I wasn't that innocent. I knelt down in front of him to undo his zip.

'There's a good boy.' He breathed and petted my hair. 'Ya know what to do, don't ya?' He looked down at me with a curious mixture of lust, concern and excitement.

Even though I was nervous and my fingers fumbled, his praise and caresses helped me relax as I took him out.

He gave me directions to what he wanted – the speed and how to treat his balls. All in all, he was more patient than I expected.

'I'm gonna come. Get ready – ya spit or swallow?'

I didn't answer but spat in the bushes when the time came.

'Good boy.' He praised me again and drew me to him. 'Not bad for a first-timer.'

My head was on his chest and I could feel his heartbeat while he played with my hair. Again, surprisingly gently for him.

I was dozy but at the same time, I was wondering when I would get mine.

Again, he must have read my mind because he chuckled as his hands stroked my stomach.

'Handjob OK?'

I nodded eagerly and he dipped his hand down my boxers to create friction there. Touching me so expertly I was gasping and squirming – Beth had been no match on him. Didn't take me long to get close.

'F...Fuck... I'm gonna...'

He took his hand away jus' in time as I squirted all inside my pants.

'Damn!' I swore. 'I'm gonna have to wash these myself now – can't let the women …'

He chuckled and pulled me closer, kissing me deep. It should have felt weird kissing a man more than 30 years older and his moustache tickled me.

After he broke off, he started to get up and hitch up his pants. Do up his belt.

'That it?' I was surprised. 'Ya ain't gonna...?'

'Fuck ya?' He raised his eyebrows. 'Ya that keen for my cock inside ya, huh, boy?' He stroked my jaw gently where the stubble was growing. 'I'm big, ya know. Could hurt ya.'

'No but...' I blushed and looked away. 'I ain't scared!'

'I ain't fuckin' ya. Not yet anyway if ever, ya got that, son?'

'But...'

'If I ever do...I'm gonna take it nice and slow, work ya over real good but ya ain't ready yet. No way.' He brushed the damp strands of hair off my face like he'd done loads of times.

'But I am! I fucked girls before!' Him denying me made me want it even if it did hurt first like I'd heard.

'Ain't the same.' He grabbed me and slammed me against the tree-trunk. His mouth was everywhere on me...kissing, licking, biting, overwhelming me with sensations until I couldn't take it no more. Felt like I couldn't breathe.

'No! Stop!' I pushed him away. I was half-surprised that he stopped when he told me too, he'd always been so intimidating and dominant.

Instead of getting angry, he chuckled like he'd been expecting it. 'See? Come on. Let's go back. Ya can say we went huntin' together.' With that, he picked up his brace of squirrels that he'd brought with him on the fallen log which I hadn't noticed. Probably to back up our story that we'd been hunting together if anyone asked. Likewise, I picked up the crossbow his brother had given me as a birthday present.

'Yeah – we got our excuse if we need one.' He laughed. 'Come on, Carlena.'

I punched him on the arm. 'Stop callin' me that!'

He laughed and grabbed me in hug that had my head trapped in an armlock. I squirmed and punched at him until he let me go, slapping my backside. Hard.

'Bastard!' I yelled – pretty annoyed that we hadn't gone all the way...I felt like I could have taken it. No matter how big he said he was.

That only made him laugh even more.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i  
> This story is a bit lighter than the other two but unconventional all the same, ha ha. Usually I write really gritty – with a bit of smut/fluff thrown but here, Carl's 18.
> 
> I can just see these two together...But what if the group finds out? Carl's technically an adult but how will Rick react if it all comes out? Thanks for following or favoriting ...That's why I decided to carry on...x

i  
I was sitting outside the prison enjoying the cool morning sunlight we'd moved to three years before. We'd been lucky enough to stumble on it, empty. Well – apart from a few Walkers we quickly dispatched and it was natural man-made fortress.  
My sister was sititng beside me and Dad came out out the prison.  
'Hi kids.' He was cheerful today and he ruffled my hair and picked Judith up to swing her around in wide circles until she was screaming in delight.  
'What ya gonna do today?'  
'Dunno.' I shrugged, faking casualness. 'Might ask the Dixons if I can tag along when they go huntin'...That is if ya don't need me, Dad.'  
He frowned before he smiled and it was almost too fast for me to catch. But I did. 'No, I'm pretty much on top of everything. But ya are sure spendin' a lot of time with them. Jus' be careful of Merle, OK?' He squeezed my shoulder. Did he suspect the things I was doing with him? He'd kill him if he knew, even if I was 18. No – surely not, he wouldn't let me go otherwise.  
'Can I go with you, Carl?' My sister was looking at me, jumping up and down. 'I like Daryl – he makes funny faces for me and animals noises.'  
I laughed because his idea of fun was piggy-backing her and pretending to be various animals that she had to guess the names of.Dixon games were typically educational or practical ...maybe he should have been a school-teacher in another life.  
'No, not this time. Carl and Daryl and his brother are going to hunt. Might be dangerous for you, sweetheart.' My Dad intervened.  
'But I wanna go huntin'! I won't get in the way, I promise!' She stamped her foot and crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. Daryl was right when he'd christened her 'Littl' asskicker' , he'd seen that she had a strong personality just like Mom.  
'Stop bein' such a brat, Jude.' I told her. 'I'll tell him to come and see you when we get back, OK?'  
It turned out that she didn't have to. Her favourite 'Uncle' came by and Dad greeted him by a clap on the shoulder. He didn't flinch like he would have done years ago – of course not now that they had been officially together for a long time now and Dad hugged him. Unbelievable when you thought that he hated being touched by anyone except for his brother and Dad said it was probably because of the physical abuse he suffered as a child. It had taken years and the end of the world plus my Dad to help him get over it and now he was like the rest of us. Well, more or less. Merle had tried his best – Dad said but it was only when he became part of our group that he really started to heal.  
'Uncle Merle'. I couldn't help squirming and feeling my face go red when I thought about what he'd done with his mouth and tongue on me last night. We still hadn't gone the whole way – he wouldn't let us. He said I still wasn't ready yet but I argued that I was but he told me that we needed more time jus' to see what 'works' whatever that means. But we'd been trying other stuff out. When we'd slipped away from the fire, I said I was tired and Merle had just sloped off but then we'd met up again somewhere discreet.

I sensed that my Dad and his boyfriend were were desperate to kiss each other but they didn't do that stuff in front of us and all Jude knew, Daryl was Daddy's 'special friend'. They said they would explain things in more detail when she got older.  
'Mornin.' Daryl beamed down at us when we first met him, he never even used to crack a smile. He told us that we had always been 'his' kids just like Merle called me 'his' all the time but with him, the word had a whole different meaning.  
'How's my favourite littl' asskicker?' Just like I knew he would, he reached down and gave her piggyback making hog noises while she shrieked with delight.   
Dad was beaming at the scene and I knew part of the reason they had got together was that Daryl had saved Judith when she was a baby and Mom died and he was out of it. He'd got the group organised to find her milk. The fact also that he loved us like we were his own even before he became his boyfriend. I'd resented Daryl at first for turning my Dad into a fag at first but six years ago I was just a dumb, selfish kid but it was partly the shock at finding your father was gay or at least bi. Both of them had sworn that nothing had happened between them while Mom was still alive and I believed them. Dad needed someone to love after Mom was gone, so what if it was another man? It took time to get used to them being an item – for the group too but everything settled down pretty quickly. People were focused on surviving and who slept with who wasn't so important as long as it was consensual and nobody was getting hurt.  
Still, what would they think about me and Merle? He never called me his boyfriend exactly, besides it would have been weird as hell if had – what he had wasn't like my Dad and Daryl...it was something different. And I guess even he worried about the reactions of the group and there was the age-difference to think about that changed things. Maybe when I got a bit older, was no longer a teenager, it wouldn't anymore.

Would Dad be so happy if he knew what was going on between me and Merle? He might hate me for being gay – but I liked girls just as much and Daryl's brother had been the only man I'd ever wanted, even though he pretended to be tolerant. It was easy to accept it in others, as long as it wasn't your own family – your own son at that even if he had sex with another man himself.  
...  
'Ya comin'?' Merle's brother looked at me. 'I think ya gettin' really good at shooting that bow...'  
Did he know? I didn't think so and how would he react?   
'Make sure ya bring him back home in one piece.' Dad ordered, he was always protective but he trusted me with Daryl. Even with Merle – he knew they were capable of protecting all of us, they had proved it again and again.  
The latter gave a mocking salute. 'Yes, Sargent-Major.' Rick made as if to swat him but grabbed him instead, their lips crushing against each other before they realised what they were doing and they pulled apart reluctantly.   
I looked around for my sister but she was distracted by chasing after a white butterfly.  
'Dad!' I hissed.  
Both of them smiled sheepishly at me.  
'Come on, little man.' Daryl pulled me up and led him off with his arm around my shoulders. 'We'll be back around 5, OK, Rick?'  
'Fine.' He picked my sister up and both of them waved us off. 'Come back safe.' He called after us, it was the standard greeting whenever people went on a run or to the Dixons to hunt.  
'Will do.' Daryl called back at him and blew him a kiss.  
….

ii

We were away from the group after catching a dozen squirrels between us (I caught 4 which I was proud of and both of them contragulated me on my improving aim). Merle hugged me but let his hand wander down to my ass behind my back so his brother didn't say and gave me a quick squeeze.   
I felt my face burn red and ducked my head while a flush of excitement rose from my belly. Were we going to finally do it today? It had been three months already since we started this and I wanted to badly.   
Merle was smirking when he gave me another squeeze for double measure – letting me know what he wanted and released me.  
Right on cue, as if he read his brother's mind, Daryl yawned, putting an idea on how we could get away to be alone in both our heads.  
'Tired, little brother?'  
He nodded enthusiatically.   
'Ain't like ya to sleep durin' the day.' Merle went over to him and put one arm around him and felt his forehead.   
'Ya feelin' OK?' For some reason seeing him touch his brother and watching Daryl lean trustingly against him made me jealous. Just like he planned, no doubt – judging by the way he smirked at me.  
'Ya don't feel hot.' He told him.  
'I'm fine. Jus' wanna snooze for a little while...I dunno...It's so hot today.'  
Merle let him go. 'That's it, baby brother.' He crooned at him as Daryl sleepily lay back down on the grass in the glade where we were, under the tree's shad and turned back to wink at me. 'Have yaself a little snooze, if ya want.'  
I just stared. Nobody knew what Merle was like with him when they were alone. Treated him like a baby sometimes.  
'Think we'll do the same but if we go for a walk, ya'll stay here until we get back, won't ya?'  
Daryl half got up on his elbows then and narrowed his eyes in suspicion at us briefly. 'Why? What ya gonna do?'  
'Jus' gonna teach the boy more about trackin'...We don't need a nap.'  
'Gonna teach ya a whole lot more.' He hissed in my ear and I shivered.  
'Fine.' His brother snapped back a little irritably. Tiredness can put anyone in a bad mood, I knew that.  
Merle motioned me to follow him and we went down a path opposite to the one we came down that led deeper into the forest. We walked in silence for a while to make sure we were further away enough so nobody – including - Daryl would hear the sounds we made.  
The older Dixon suddenly stopped and pointed to a clearing. 'How 'bout here?'  
'Ya think he knows?' I panicked, without answering the question.   
He grabbed me suddenly without warning (he'd got a lot rougher lately when he realised I liked it that way too) and slammed me up against the tree and seized my lips as if to stop me worrying. He didn't wait for me to make the first move this time like he usually did and I squrmed against him, grinding against him without meaning to.  
Or maybe that wasn't quite true.  
'Damn it, boy.' He snarled and attacked my throat. 'Ya feel what ya do to me?' He pressed himself against me to let me know how hard he was for me.  
'But do ya think he knows?' I was still anxious.  
He nipped my throat. 'Nah...He may think it's a little weird but he don't suspect nothin'.'   
'Ya sure?' I looked up at him and he growled and twisted my hair in his hand so that I let out a small whimper.   
He sneered a little at that and kissed me again. 'What's the matter? Uncle Merle ain't gonna hurt ya.'  
'Ain't scared of ya!'   
'Well, maybe ya should be.' He ripped my shirt off without warning, making me gasp.  
'What ya gonna do for me, huh?' He drew back.  
I knew the drill and bent to undo his flies and take him out while he ran his fingers fondly through my hair just like his brother did sometimes. But Daryl's touch didn't leave sparks of electricity all over my skin. Or excitement coiling at the pit of my stomach.  
'Good boy. Fast little learner, ain't ya?'  
I giggled as I kissed the inside of one his thighs then the other but missing the important part deliberately.   
He grabbed my hair in one hand and shook me. 'What ya waitin' for?' He moaned. 'Get on with it! Otherwise I won't reward ya afterwards.  
'Sorry.'  
'Sorry, what?He slapped me hard bringing tears to my eyes but no marks for my Dad to see. But I didn't mind – it was all part of the game.  
'Sorry, Daddy.' I knew I couldn't keep him waiting any longer so I licked his shaft.  
'Good boy.' He praised, patting my head. I flicked his tip with my tongue while I reached one hand underneath to roll his balls with one hand. One thing he'd taught me – Beth hadn't done nearly half the stuff to me that he did. I guess it wasn't such a surprise...Who was better to give pleasure to another man but another man?  
'Oh...Fuck!' He groaned. 'That's real good...Carry on doin' it jus' like that....'  
I grinned and took my hand away from his balls. He groaned in frustration. 'Why ya little...'  
I laughed and did my best to compensate by flicking his tip again and taking him in deep letting my tongue play all over him.  
'Please...' He moaned.  
'Yes, Daddy.' I started to play with is balls once more while I bobbed up and down on him. I kept doing it for a while, sensing he was near his climax just before his balls retracted before I took everything away, not touching him.  
'You little bitch!' He screamed at me and slapped me hard again. 'Don't fuckin' stop!'  
'Sorry Daddy.' With a sigh as if I was reluctant but then I grinned up at him through my long fringe.  
'I took him back in and using my hands and mouth and tongue, finally brought him to the brink and over it. I swallowed all of him.  
He slumped against the tree, panting and quivering with the after-shocks and pulled me with him. Holding me against his chest so I could listen to his heart gradually slow down, still with his pants down and my shirt was off.  
'Good boy.' He whispered. 'Ya'll get yours soon enough. Gonna make ya feel really good, son.'  
That's when we heard it and noticed someone else was there.  
'Merle! What the fuck did ya jus' do to my kid? YOU FUCKIN' PERVERTED MOLESTIN' PIECE OF SHIT! I'm gonna fuckin' KILL ya!'


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh no! Who saw them? Is it Rick? What's he going to do?

Merle turned around and sheepishly let the half-clad Carl go at the sound of his brother's voice. Trust Daryl to say something sweet like that call Rick's son 'his'...but he wasn't in the sense that the boy now belonged to him – Merle, in a very different sense. He smiled lustfully yet he felt his cheeks burn.  
Daryl had rarely seen his brother embarassed. 'Let him go!'  
Merle uncharacteristically obeyed and turned back to do his flies back up without saying another word.  
His brother took this as his cue to push Carl aside and pin his brother to the trunk of the tree with his blade at his throat as he snarled with protective rage in his face. Without looking behind him, he called out, 'What did he make ya do, boy?'  
'Nothin'! He didn't make me do nothin'! Leave 'im alone!'  
Merle shrugged, still unaffected by the fact his brother was threatening to slit his throat. 'Kid's right...He wanted it as much as I did.' His voice was calm and steady.  
'Don't believe ya!' Now his brother pushed the serrated blade in further, nicking his skin and Merle felt a stinging pain and a lot of his blood trickling wetly down his throat.  
'Careful!' Merle hissed.  
'Stop it!' Carl called out behind him. 'He's right, he didn't make me!'  
'Piece of shit!' Daryl was not to be appeased.  
'Don't!' The boy cried out in dismay when Daryl roughly released his brother but cut his throat shallowly as he did so, ignoring Carl's shouts of protests. 'He didn't hurt me! I swear!'  
Merle winced and instinctively put his hand to his throat to examine the luckily superficial wounds. He took small comfort in the fact that his brother had apparently not intended to kill for what he saw him doing with his boyfriend's teenage son.  
Daryl sneered at him and drew back one booted foot and kicked him between the legs. 'That's for touchin' me and Rick's kid!'  
'He ain't a kid anymore, if you ain't noticed.' Merle gasped with pain, bent over double in agony.   
'Oh yeah?' Daryl turned. 'How long's it been goin' on?' He approached Carl who backed off as if afraid of him and shaking his head.  
'I'm 18! Like he says, I ain't a kid anymore!' He stopped.  
'He hurt ya, huh? Threaten ya or ya Dad, maybe even ya sister - that why ya protectin' him?'  
'No.'  
Daryl started to stalk him again slowly. 'It's OK.' He whispered softly so his brother couldn't hear him. 'Ya can tell me the truth, I know what he's like.' He coaxed.  
'He didn't! I swear!'  
'I don't believe ya. He mus' have done! Otherwise ya wouldn't...wouldn't have done that...'  
'We ...we haven't even gone all the way.' Carl yelled loudly and flushed scarlet at this admission. 'Ya satisfied now, Dad?' He blurted out sarcastically. But he let the older man get near enough to reach him before he dodged around him to grab his white T-shirt from where it lay carelessly discarded on the ground and put it on.   
'Ya didn't have to tell him all that!' Merle yelled. 'Ain't any of his damn business!'  
'You – shut up! Don't make none of this right!' Daryl whirled on his brother. 'How could ya? Makin' him call ya Daddy of all things when ya know what ours was like, callin' him a 'bitch', slappin' him around... Yeah, I 'm sure he was willin'.'  
Merle chuckled, having apparently recovered from the brutal assault on his genitals. 'It was jus' role-play, was all...He was into it! Ask him!'  
'I'm sure he was!' His brother's tone was bitterly sarcastic. 'Come on.' He grabbed Carl not so gently by his arm and started to pull him along with him as he strode away.  
'Get off me!' The teenager struggled but the man's (who over the years had become like a second father to him) grip on him was relentless. Proving that Daryl was still stronger than him, just like his big brother even with all of his 18 years.  
The younger Dixon was furious and didn't reply. 'We'll see what ya Daddy has to say about this!'  
'Ya can't tell him!' Merle and Carl's son chimed together and the fact that they were so much in sync only succeeded in fuelling his rage and he stopped in his tracks but didn't let go of him.  
'You – you stay behind!' He told his big brother. In fact, it would be better if ya got lost for good and I never saw ya scumbag faceever again .'  
The other two looked shocked and this made him even angrier, if that was possible. Right then, he meant every word.  
'Come on, son. We'll sort this out.' Daryl's tone was softer now and he loosened his hold on his arm slightly. 'Won't let him hurt ya again.'  
'He didn't!'  
'I know he did. I'm his brother, remember?'  
Carl bowed his head and didn't bother to reply because it was clear that nothing he said would change his mind. After all, it had been humiliating to be caught out like that and he couldn't imagine what his lover must be feeling now, being falsely accused like that. He glanced backward over his shoulder but it was like Merle had disappeared off the face of the earth.  
….  
They didn't say another word on their way back to the prison. Daryl was never the most talkative person anyway and Carl was too upset and worried about what would happen when he told his father. Should he try and deny it?   
What would his Dad say? He couldn't say anything really because he shared his bed with a man...but he knew how fiercely protective he was of him. He'd kill Merle! Carl had to stop it.  
'Daryl...'  
'What?' He snapped at him.  
'Please don't tell him, please...' He begged him before the others saw them as they drew nearer to the prison.  
The man took pity on him and took his face in his hands. 'Tell me the truth, son. I ain't angry with ya, promise and neither will ya Dad be...Did my brother start it or did you?'  
'Both.' Carl shrugged.   
'When?' Now the hunter's voice took on a sharp, dangerous tone.   
'After I turned 18, OK?' Although we both wanted to long before then, he didn't say.  
'Ya were 18 when he first made moves on ya? Ya promise?' Daryl frowned disbelievably.  
Carl nodded but it wasn't enough for the Dixon.  
'Swear, swear on ya baby sister's life.'   
Carl drew in a long, shuddering breath. 'Yes. On Judi's life.'  
'And he didn't force himself on ya? Ain't gone the whole way with ya?'  
'God, I told ya he didn't already! No, he didn't to both questions! ' Carl rolled his eyes, earning himself a shaking from his 'stepfather'.   
'Swear!'  
'I swear on Judi's life. OK?'  
'I don't like it but I ain't tellin' him. That his 18 year old son is fucking his brother's 45 year old boyfriend's brother. Would jus' about kill him.'  
Merle came back just in time to hear the end of their conversation. Daryl scowled back at him with a filthy look that clearly said Back already? But I told you to get lost!  
'After all, ya both adults but if I find out ya gettin' rough or pushy with ya, I'll cut his balls off!'  
He added for his brother's benefit. 'And Rick don't find out...at least not yet. Would break his heart.'  
'Fine.' They both nodded as in relief. Neither of them could hardly believe what he was saying, that he believed them and that he wasn't going to tell his boyfriend.   
With that, Daryl let go of his adopted son and they put on an act of normality - just come back fresh from the hunt with their prey.   
Later on, Daryl would watch them together suspiciously and most times they sneaked off to be alone, he would suddenly turn up as if to check on them or stop them. They would be forced to think of more ingenious ways to sneak off and be together or other hide-aways that he didn't know about.   
….  
Later that night in their cell, Daryl was quiet.  
'Anythin' wrong?' Rick asked him gently, running his hand down his arm and trying to search his eyes in concern.  
The Dixon shook his head but he wouldn't look him in the eye.  
'There is, ain't it? Tell me.' By now the cop had known his boyfriend long enough to recognise the signs that he was struggling under the burden of a big secret. No doubt protecting him from knowing.   
'I said there ain't nothin' wrong!' Daryl snapped and turned on his side in their bunk and Rick knew better than to keep pushing. He would tell him in his own sweet time or not at all but he suspected that it had something to do with his big brother.  
'Sorry...Didn't mean to keep goin' on at ya...' Rick nibbled his neck. 'Forgive me?'  
Daryl turned back to him and kissed him full on the mouth in answer.  
Rick returned the kiss back and let his hands stroke down the lean hunter's sides before he caressed his hard, flat stomach. Feeling the high definition of the muscles in his lover's six-pack always excited him.  
Daryl sighed and leaned his head against his chest, signalling that he wanted to be held.  
Rick eagerly obliged but felt him flinch when he ran his hands down his scarred back.  
'Sh...' He shushed him...he knew it wasn't that Daryl didn't trust him, it was just that part of his body was his most vulnerable – the one he always kept covered even in the 40 degrees heat of the Georgian summer but he let him touch them. He took pride that he alone held that privilege. 'It's OK. I know what he did. Ya safe with me now.'  
Daryl whimpered like he often did when they were in private and he brought up the lumps of raised scar tissue on his body, no doubt remembering how he got them and trembled in his arms. Rick knew he shouldn't make him remember but told himself that he was helping him to finally heal.  
'Safe now. You're so beautiful...' Rick whispered in his ear, soothing his back and praising him.  
'No, I ain't. Don't say that.' Daryl shuddered against his chest making him sigh because he'd spent years trying to undo the damage from those scars – not just physical either. Because the Dixon still thought he was ugly when Rick wanted to prove to him that he was beautiful inside as well as out and it broke his heart to hear him say that about himself. To Rick, anyway, the latter was most important and he hoped that if he told him that he was beautiful enough times, he would eventually believe it.  
'Beautiful.' Rick repeated, moving his hands from under his shirt to stroke his hair gently like he did Carl's and Judith's sometimes. 'Ya the only man I ever fell for...Never wanted no other.'  
Daryl growled in his ear and bit his lower lip playfully until it even bled a little. Rick nurturing him and talking to him like this made him feel safe and loved and gave him a feeling of belonging that before only his brother could give him. But back then, Daryl would never have allowed anyone else that close to him. The opposite to the fear as he steeled himself to inevitable pain and feelings of self-loathing that he had always associated with their father and that in itself was an aphrodysiac.   
'Ya the only man who could turn me. Turn me on.' The older man continued his relentless assault in words while caressing him chastely until the Dixon could take no more. He snarled ferally as his more baser instincts came to the fore and got off him to straddle him and pin his arms above his head.  
Rick chuckled and let hiim do whatever he liked.  
'That may be true but are ya sure ya safe with me?' He growled and attacked his neck, biting deep enough to leave love-bites for the others to see the next morning, making his lover moan and arch his back. Maybe Rick would wear a neckscarf, or maybe he would delight in flaunting these marks of possession from him in front of the others. Telling them that he was Daryl's and the thought of owning him was making Daryl hard and even more excited. Also the fact that the other was letting him take complete control and do as he pleased.  
He wished he had some rope to restrain him but he knew he didn't need it with Rick. It would have just made things a hell of a lot more kinky, though which was a pity. It wasn't always like this but Daryl wasn't in a submissive mood tonight. Maybe it was the anger at his brother for corrupting their son feeding through.   
Daryl soon had his boyfriend's pants off and was taking him almost to the brink with his mouth.   
Almost.  
He suddenly stopped and sneered down at the other's muffled curses of disappointment – they didn't want the whole prison to know what they did behind closed cell-doors. But Rick made no move to touch himself although he was desperate to come...He knew the rules when Daryl took charge.  
'Ready?' Daryl asked him.  
Rick nodded to let him know what he wanted and he reached for the small tube of lube.  
He prepared him until grazed his against that most delicious part of him and he ground back against him, moaning wantonly.  
'Ready?' Daryl always asked twice and slid in when the other nodded. Rick hissed with pain at first despite all the things he'd done to stretch him but then he was soon writhing in pleasure.  
When he was inside the other man he loved and possessessing him completely, he was finally able to forget the secret he was witholding from him, partly (no mostly, he corrected himself) to protect his brother. After all, Merle may be an asshole but even he had his limits – would never hurt a kid, especially not like that. Because to him and Rick, that's what Carl would always be – a kid, no matter how old he got.  
Daryl's mind drifted off as he held Rick close to him, already snoring lightly against his chest after their mutual release but he didn't have the same peace of mind. Thinking that maybe it had all started the day Merle had saved Carl from those men (that was a very loose definition in his book) and the boy had got all strarry-eyed about it afterwards. Developed some kind of fairy princess crush on his worthless brother – saw him as his hero and the bastard too advantage of it?  
But the guilt ate away at him because it didn't look like they were going to stop anytime soon, not until his bastard brother had stolen Carl's cherry. But the boy certainly didn't act like he was being victimised and if anyone knew about abuse, it was the Dixon brothers.   
Yet how could he keep it from Rick? He'd never forgive him if he found out that Daryl knew and had kept it from him.  
Rick wouldn't love him anymore because Carl was his son too, had been for years and he had protected his own brother before his kid. If Daryl was in his place, he wouldn't forgive him.  
He was in an impossible situation.  
Damn ya Merle! Sometimes I wished ya had died cuffed on that damn rooftop!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's Daryl going to do? True, Carl is technically an adult but this doesn't mean that people will be happy with his relationship with Merle if it comes to light. Especially Rick would have a thing or two to say about it.   
> Do the couple finally go all the way this time?
> 
> Warnings: some daddy/son role-play smut. Hope it's hot! Merle's secret fantasies come true. Any comments are welcome!

i  
Daryl was furious with his brother and the awkward position he'd put him in because in the end, he hadn't had the heart to tell Rick and now he felt bad because he was keeping things from him. He felt sickened when he thought of the two of them together, he'd never guessed Merle would swing both ways and he had a feeling that his boyfriend would never forgive him if he found out that he knew and didn't tell him.  
'Daryl...' Merle panted as he tried to keep up with his younger sibling who was racing ahead, stamping his feet in bad temper and no doubt trying to avoid him even though the group had run out of food and they badly needed to hunt. That must be the only reason that his brother was tolerating his presence at a distance.  
'Leave me alone!' Daryl shrugged his hand off his shoulder. 'You disgust me!'  
'Aw, come now. Don't be like that.'  
Daryl suddenly stopped mid-stride and whirled around on him. 'Well, how should I be? Ya screwin' my boyfriend's teenage kid, you fuckin' pervert!' Anger was making him lash out and raise his voice and he looked around to make sure nobody heard. But they were far from group.  
'Ain't like anybody's bein' forced to do nothin'. And I told ya before we ain't hardly done anythin' yet.'  
Daryl made a face full of revulsion and turned away. He could really do without all this.   
'Maybe that's true but he's still a kid and I don't like keeping secrets from his father!' He gave him a hard shove in the chest. 'Sometimes I wish...' His voice trailed off and his eyes grew wide and he covered his mouth as if stopping himself from saying more.  
Merle's hard expression matched his voice. 'What...?'  
The archer turned his face away. 'Nothin'...'  
'Tell me! Or ain't ya got the guts to finish ya sentences and say what ya really mean, Darlena?'  
'Fuck you!' Daryl clenched his fists at his side and hissed in his face but they hadn't come to blows yet. 'Ya wanna know? Sometimes I wish ya'd died on that damn rooftop...' But he blushed deep scarlet and looked down at the ground.  
'What?' Now Merle looked at him in hurt disbelief.  
'I mean it! All ya do is spread misery wherever ya go. Fuck everythin' up for me like ya always done my whole life.'  
'That ain't true.'  
Daryl got up into his face and narrowed his eyes as he glared at him icily without an ounce of mercy and it got Merle wondering what he would do if he thought Carl was unwilling in their little rendez-vous. 'If you ever hurt my boy, brother or no brother, I'll end you.'   
Merle could only stare at him as he strode off ahead without another word. Because now his baby brother was giving him orders and even threatening him.  
Since when had Daryl become the big brother?  
He ran to catch up with him and they went ahead into the forest to get dinner for the rest of the group without a word.

ii

But Daryl's ultimatum didn't deter either of them when they sneaked off separately with a decent interval between after dinner. This time of year when it was getting lighter later, group members would have some leisure time to pursue their various hobbies. Merle smirked to himself at that because what would they do if they knew that Carl was his own personal little hobby? His pet project, in fact. His dick grew hard at that thought. They were going to have fun tonight, he would make sure of that.  
He idly wondered how long they could get away with it until someone else other than his brother became suspicious or they were caught in the act. But didn't the danger make it all that much more exciting? He had the feeling that Carl thought so too.  
Nevertheless, Merle checked the expression on the teen's face when they met at their favourite spot and he jingled the small tub he had in his pocket. If all went well and the boy was willing, tonight would be the night and to hell with his brother. Their earlier altercation had only strengthened his resolve – Daryl hadn't spoken a single word to him that hadn't been necessary for the hunt and fuck knew when the little brat was going to stop punishing him. In any case, Rick's son had been nagging him about 'going all the way' for ages, seemed impatient for his cock inside him, in fact.  
Why was he making such a big fuss, anyway? As far as Merle saw, what Rick and the others didn't know, wouldn't hurt them. Weren't any of their business, anyway.  
Carl looked at him curiously and Merle smirked. 'Well, come on then.' He motioned him over. 'What ya waitin' for, son?'  
Carl answered his smirk and was on him like a shot without another word. They didn't exactly talk much when they managed to get precious time together – swapping words was a waste of time, not when action was called for. The boy hugged him fiercely before he wrapped his legs around him and kissed him.  
Merle grunted in approval as he hitched him up – he was lighter than he looked - was still boy-skinny and shoved him against the tree while he plundered his mouth. But he didn't neglect the other parts of the youth's lean but perfect young body as he slid his hands up the boy's shirt to tweak his nipples almost painfully. Carl arched when he did that and moaned into his mouth and Merle thought it was the sexiest thing he'd ever heard. He knew from the many times they'd messed around with each other that he liked him to play with them.  
'Tell Daddy ya want him.' He commanded when they came back for air.  
Carl took a double take, he was always surprised when Merle initiated a role-play the Daddy/son one was his favourite. Made Carl wonder about the Dixons' father not that he minded. Play-acting was something else he had found out that he liked.  
'Yes...OH!..Daddy...' Merle had pinched his nipple between his thumb and forefinger.   
Merle brought one hand away to slap him lightly on his cheek. 'I don't believe ya.'  
'Yes, Daddy, I want you.'  
'Good.'   
Without warning, he yanked down down Carl's running pants from where they'd been grinding against each other, getting them both all hot and bothered and panting. Wanting more, just as Merle intended. No pesky belt or zip to deal with – had Carl changed into them on purpose? Because he'd been wearing his tight cow-boy jeans during the day.   
The suggestion that he'd been getting ready for him – just for this purpose - excited him beyond measure while he carefully checked his expression. But there was only excitement and glaze of lust in the boy's eyes.  
Then he roughly tore off his boxers and discarded them to the ground. Now he was butt-naked from the waist down.  
'Turn around.' He ordered.  
Looking at him with only mild curiosity but no fear at all – the older man read his eyes again, wondering at the protective urges Rick's son brought out in him. Before, only Daryl could make him feel like he would rip apart anyone with his teeth who hurt him. No doubt, Rick felt the same about his son, that's why what they did with each other had to stay a secret.   
kid clearly trusted him, Carl turned around.   
'Good boy.' Merle growled in his ear and ran his hand through his hair and down his back. Even that relatively innocent touch made him shiver.  
The older Dixon was enjoying this as he hurriedly undid his belt and tugged down his own underwear. Carl had already taken off his sneakers but Merle didn't bother.   
He stood behind him not making a move or saying something even though he was struggling to control himself and not touch the boy. To be frank, he just wanted to shove it in and not bother preparing him but he was enjoying exercising self-control over himself and Carl...it was fun to watch him pant and squirm and build up the anticipation. Was he deliberately wriggling his ass in his face, telling him what he wanted?  
After nearly a minute, Carl could stand it no longer and tried to turn his head. 'Wha...?' He began to ask but Merle didn't let him finish and shoved him against the tree.  
'I never told ya to turn around!' He gave his buttocks a hard slap.  
Carl gasped but stayed put where he was. He knew the rules of the game.  
'What do ya say?'  
'Sorry, Daddy.'  
'And...?' Merle rapped out another couple of hard smacks to each ass-cheek, making him gasp again but then he squeezed each one hard. Carl shuddered and groaned.  
'I won't do it again, Daddy. Please don't hit me again.'  
'Good boy.' Merle crooned and brushed the hair covering the nape of his neck aside before he kissed it and moved forward to lean against him, pressing his massive erection against his back.  
'Ya feel that?'  
Carl nodded.  
'See the effect ya have on me?' Merle reached round to fondle him at the front. 'How hard ya make ya Daddy?'  
Carl gasped and started bucking while Merle traced his forefinger down his back, hovering at hip-level but he didn't stop pumping him.  
'Ya other daddy thinks I hurt ya. He cut my throat 'cos he was so angry. Do I?'  
'Uh...oh..' Carl panted as he jerked him off slowly, teasingly. 'No...'.  
Merle shook his head mournfully. 'He says I force ya... Force myself on you...'  
'Ya don't! No!'  
'Why he think that then?' Did ya tell him I do?' Merle grinned and ran his finger down his crack. Now Carl was being assaulted on two fronts so to speak and the pleasure was other-whelming. He had to stifle his cries but he still had the mind to shake his head vigorously.  
'Do I hurt ya?'  
'No.' Carl panted, shaking his head. 'Never.' He breathed.  
'He says he'll kill me if I touch ya again. It's too much of a risk...too dangerous. Guess I can't do this any more...' Merle had slid one slick finger in that he'd lubed up before making Carl grow crazy. He knew he was close to blowing his load if he didn't stop anyway. He didn't want that just yet.  
Carl whined in frustration and tried to touch himself but Merle slapped his hands away.  
'Ya don't move until I say ya can!' He snapped.  
'Yes, Daddy.' He ducked his head and let it slide to the side to expose his neck. Was he aware that his body-language was screaming for Merle to take him, dominate him?  
'Turn around.'  
Carl blushed red and did what he was told. It wasn't the fact that he was naked in front of him – they'd gone past getting embarrassed about that by now but he never wanted Daryl to find out and get upset. For the brothers to fight over him.   
'Tell me what ya want.' Merle casually got the small tub of lube out and dipped his fingers in it. Carl's eyes followed them hungrily. 'It's OK. Ya can tell Daddy. I won't get mad.'  
'I want...'  
Merle grinned down at him wolfishly and brazenly stroked his own hard member lazily right in front of him. Carl's eyes grew wide as they followed him do that too.  
'I want ya to fuck me.'  
'I want ya to fuck me what?'  
Carl blushed even harder if that was possible and avoided looking at Merle's hard-on.  
'I want ya to fuck me, Daddy.' Merle found it adorable and unbelievably arousing when he ducked his head submissively again as if ashamed to admit his need. Maybe the kid was doing it to tease him deliberately – he was smart. A fast learner who understood quickly what turned him on.  
They could wait no longer.   
'I'll try not to hurt ya.' He kissed his shoulder.  
'Uh...OK, I trust ya.'   
Merle stroked his hair for that and got to work.   
'Don't worry, I'll go slow. Ya let me know when you're ready.'  
'I'll be fine. Stop worryin'!'  
'Fine. But don't say I didn't warn ya.' Merle finished preparing him and slid in without warning.   
Carl cried out in pain and immediately tensed. 'It'll hurt at first.'  
'Try to relax.' Merle stroked his arm.  
Carl went white – it was a lot more painful than he thought it would but he didn't complain or ask him to stop.  
'There's a brave boy.' Merle crooned as he pushed in and finally bottomed-out. 'First time hurts like a bitch, don't it?'  
Carl trembled but didn't answer. He was determined to do this although he felt like he was being ripped apart. Was it because Merle was too big for him? He was a lot bigger than his Dad.   
'Ready?' He asked after a while when he let the boy adjust to his girth.  
Carl reluctantly nodded but at least the sting was fading a little.   
Merle nipped his ear-lobe before he partly pulled out then slammed back in.  
He cried out again but then the pain was becoming something else as Merle eventually found his sweet spot after a few thrusts.  
The teenager let out a few moans making the other man smile knowingly before he began to pant and moan. The Dixon was pounding into him again and again, once or twice missing his prostrate it seemed like on purpose to him before he got back on track.  
'Ya like that, yeah, ya do, don't ya?' The Dixon crooned into his ear in between his own groans of pleasure.  
Carl was unable to speak as the waves of sheer pleasure engulfed him, cresting and troughing but rising higher and higher each time.  
'I...I...think I'm gonna come.' He whispered.  
'I'm nearly there too.' Merle replied, pleasantly surprised that they were more or less on the same schedule and he reached around to touch him there between his legs so that they would arrive more or less at the same time.  
Carl's eyes rolled back in his head when he started doing that. He had never had an orgasm like this before, not even with Beth. He was unable to stand as the powerful aftershocks passed through him.  
Was it better with another man or was it just that Merle was older and therefore knew more tricks than he did?  
….  
iii

Afterwards, Carl slumped in exhaustion and Merle reached down to catch him and hold him to his chest.  
'How was that?'  
'OK.' He teased.  
Merle raised an eye-brow. 'OK? Tell me the truth, I'm the best fuck ya ever had in ya life, son.' He made drawled out that last word to make it sound filthy, then chuckled.  
Carl laughed. 'Maybe. But it really fuckin' hurt at first.'  
'That was jus' ya ass-cherry gettin' popped. The more we do it, easier it'll get.'  
Carl shrugged out of his arms and bent over to pull on his clothes. Luckily, there was no mess to clean up from either of them.   
'I mean it, kiddo. Ya did good. I know it wasn't easy for ya.'  
Carl looked over at him and beamed.  
Merle grabbed him in a bear-hug in answer.  
That's when Daryl barrelled out of the forest with a battle-cry bellow of fury and pushed him off him.  
The two lovers looked at each other in confusion as the younger Dixon straddled his brother and raised his fist and bloodied his nose. Merle had been too stunned when he was caught off guard and too groggy after the sex.  
'Sick mother-fucker!' He screamed and got out his hunting-knife to thrust the sharp blade in front of Merle's face. He loved his brother but right then he was a lion protecting an injured cub. 'What did I tell ya? Ya touch him again and ya a dead man!'  
'Ya didn't say that...' Merle tried to reason with him.  
'No! He never made me!' Carl screamed behind him. 'I wanted it! Don't hurt him!'


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OK – I haven't updated this story in quite a while – been working on Look but don't touch with my co-writer, Malami. Anyway, Daryl doesn't approve of Merle's and his adopted son's relationship – thinks his brother took advantage of Carl especially as there's quite a big age difference. I also noticed my writing from earlier (cringe) has changed a lot but if you like any of it, please comment or review. I can only get better if I get feedback.
> 
> Thanks!

Carl

I was sheepishly pulling on my clothes to cover myself in front of Daryl, feeling my cheeks burn with shame because he'd seen us and he knew we'd done. He was pointedly looking away from me while I got dressed but I guess he'd seen his brother naked before so that wasn't such a big deal. I'd seen him waving his weapon threateningly in front of his big brother just before I turned around but I didn't really think he'd use it. Not on Merle.

I was wrong. Daryl was more furious than I'd ever seen him, his usual self-control ripped away and my fear reflected in my boyfriend's eyes even though he did nothing to fight back (what could he do?) and murmuring something to his younger brother to try and calm him down. Raising his hands in a gesture of surrender but even I could see that it wasn't working. Merle was going to die because of me. Because Daryl thought he'd hurt me. With shock I saw him press the blade harder against his throat and push him further back against the tree-trunk.

That snapped me out of my frozen indecisiveness.

'Stop it!' I ran up and tried to wrench the knife out of his hand but he jerked away. 'I'm 18! I wanted it!'

'Don't lie to me, son.' He snarled at me and shoved me away without taking his eyes off my hapless boyfriend but he did toss the weapon aside after a quick slash at his neck and let his brother sit up.

'No need to protect him just because he scared you.' Daryl continued to address me while he glared at him as if he couldn't bear to look at me. Meanwhile his brother rubbed his throat where I could see the blood beading before it started dripping slowly on its way down to his chest.

'He didn't!' I yelled. 'It was all my idea!'

'You think you got away with this, Merle? I'm gonna tell Rick what you did to his son and let's see what he has to say about it.'

Merle looked at him and tried to speak but he couldn't get his words out with his throat bleeding like that from the shallow slash, he could only gasp. I could tell that speaking hurt him too much or he was in shock and as soon as Daryl backed off, I ran over to check him over. It was strange to see him look vulnerable for once.

'You really hurt him!' I screamed at his brother who looked even more enraged (if that was possible) as Merle coughed and tried to recover.

'Good! I meant to... Get away from him!' He ordered me furiously.

'NO!' To prove my point that I had been willing the whole time, with him still buck naked, I smirked and straddled him while he wrapped his arms around me in his lap without looking at his brother.

'See?' I said. 'You got it all wrong!'

'Get off him!' He snarled at me now.

'No!'

He grabbed me from behind and tried to yank me out of his brother's arms. Merle let me go without so much as a protest but then again, he still probably couldn't speak and was still in shock.

'Fuck you!' I struggled. 'You ain't my father!'

'As good as!' He retorted and held me tighter.

'I'm 18! An adult! You can't tell me what to do!'

'I'll do what I need to keep you safe!'

'Daryl – leave him be.' Merle managed to gasp out finally. 'I thought ya were gonna kill me there.'

He let me go with a snort and rounded on him. 'I'll let Rick kill you instead – believe me, he'll be worse than me. Should have let me put ya down, bro. A whole lot less painful that way.'

'Shut up!' I yelled and strode to scream up in his face. I was nearly as tall as him and I think I was still growing, still not as big as my Dad. It wasn't like we always had a lot to eat not like the good old days, especially not in winter. 'He didn't do anything wrong!'

'He was fuckin' you when I told him to stop!'

'No you didn't! Besides, I wanted it!' His eyes grew open in disbelief as he shook his head.

Daryl looked between me and Merle. 'I'll never forgive you for this, brother. Never!'

He shifted his feet nervously on the ground in reply. 'Didn't plan it.' He muttered. 'Jus' happened.' That was about as close to an apology that Merle ever gave, I knew.

Then Daryl looked at me with so much sadness (and maybe disappointment) that I felt guilty.

'I'm sorry, Dad.' I called him by the name he liked and I wasn't being sarcastic like last time. Nobody had told me to call him that but I'd started to for some reason – after a while it had felt right. My real father didn't mind and I knew Daryl hadn't had much love in his life before he met us. He'd spent most of it alone and afraid of human contact.

'Come here.' He gave me a small smile in return and opened his arms up to me with a resigned air.

I went to him obediently, sensing that his rage had all miraculously drained away while Merle looked on. 'Like living at the fuckin' Waltons' I heard him mutter sourly behind us.

'Ya sure he didn't take advantage?' He whispered against my hair. 'Threaten ya if ya told?'

I tightened my arms around him to convince him. 'No. I already told you... He didn't want to at first...said I was too young.'

'That true?' He raised his eyes to hold his brother in a penetrating gaze. 'Ya still a sick fuck though, Merle, and I still can't get my head around it.' He hissed over at him while he shrugged. 'Ya hands all over our son. Don't know why I let you live.'

'Well, we don't care what you think. Yeah – I know there's a big age difference but who the fuck cares now?' He replied. 'Whole fuckin' world's gone to shit anyway.'

'Rick will if I tell him.'

'Don't worry, we'll tell him.' I gasped at that. 'This ain't no dirty little fling. Besides, boy's old enough to make his own decisions.'

'Merle...' I started.

'Don't mean we have to like it.' Daryl growled and released me. 'Come on. If ya mean it, brother, you'll tell Rick 'cos it's makin' me sick knowing and not sayin' anything to him.' He eyeballed him once more. 'I won't keep secrets from him anymore not even for you!'

'Promise you won't have to.'

'Merle don't! We can't tell my Dad...' I protested.

'I have to.' He turned to me.

'He'll go crazy!'

They both ignored me and we made our way back home. That's when I knew they were going through with it. My stomach seemed to grow heavier as we walked and I was dreading the confrontation with Dad. What he'd think of me – I knew he wasn't a homophobe (obviously not with him being in relationship with Daryl) but how would he react? I knew that he had hoped that I would start my own family one day...and Merle was so much older, everyone was going to think it was weird. That or he abused me.

What was going to happen?


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, this story seems to be doing surprisingly well here – not so great on Fanfic. I guess Merle and Carl aren't their cup of tea – ha ha. It's an unusual pairing after all, got to admit that but then I like to do stuff out of the box and hope it works.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos and comments!  
> I couldn't really leave it on that cliffhanger, could I? Is Merle really going to tell Rick that he's been screwing his teenage son? How is the leader going to react? Why don't they just call it a day for everybody's sakes?

Carl

I followed behind them with a heavy heart of lead even thinking about just slipping off because I didn't think I could face my Dad. He'd think I was dirty … He'd be so disappointed because he couldn't stand Daryl's big brother. Besides him, what would the rest of them think? It had taken most of them months to get used to them being together.  
So why was it such a big deal that I had turned out just like him?  
Dale had a theory that since the entire world had been devastated by the Walker apocalypse, society had to begin again. Therefore, what was unacceptable before might become acceptable especially since the huge population decrease. Andrea even said that maybe people would have kids out of duty because the bigger the group, the safer we were. In theory. At least when they grew up.  
But I wasn't stupid - I knew the most shocking thing was the age difference. If I had been older, they probably wouldn't have approved but they would have to shut up. Then again, there were still enough homophobes and religious folks in the camp who'd been forced to tolerate my Dad and Daryl just because he was the leader and they wanted to be fed and protected. Also, Merle had a bad-boy reputation – which had intrigued me in the first place.  
'Merle...ya really going to tell him? He'll kill ya!' I stopped in my tracks, forcing them to too as they halted and stared at me.  
'I said, 'Shut up kid.'' Daryl snapped at me.  
'Dad...' I hated the whine in my voice. Just confirming to him what he thought already – that I was a stupid, easily-impressed little kid who his brother had taken advantage of.  
He rounded on his brother who was just standing there with his arms crossed across his chest and that smirk on his face. Like all this was a joke.  
'If ya serious about him, ya'll tell his father. Otherwise ya know what it looks like! Or ya break it up now!'  
'No!' We both exclaimed together making Daryl look even more furious and his brother even more smug.  
'Oh I will tell him.' Merle crossed over and suddenly grabbed me. 'Wouldn't want to lose this hot piece of ass.' He leered at me and squeezed my buttock but winked to let me know he didn't mean it like that, was just teasing his brother. Who for his part hissed and looked away in disgust and I knew it must be hard on him. Merle was my uncle after all.  
'Stop it!' I shoved his groping hands away while he just smirked and took my hand. My adopted Dad's eyes flew wide at that.  
'No. Ya ain't doin' that. '  
'Why?' The smile on Merle's lips were playful.  
'You're nearly 50 for fuck's sake and he ain't even 20! What the fuck do ya think it looks like?'  
'He ain't complainin'.' He licked his lips at me and God help me, I felt the familiar excitement begin to grow at the pit of my belly.  
'It's fuckin' disgustin', is what it is.'  
'Some people used to say that about you and ya precious Rick. That ya turned him into a fag.'  
That nearly led to blows but I got in between them. 'Stop it!' I yelled, glaring from one to the to the other and put one hand on each of their chests to keep them apart. 'It's like Shane said – things ain't like they were before.'  
'Ya too right about that.' My second Dad muttered but he let it go before he stomped off in front.  
'Behave yaselfs. We're doin this. Get in front of me, Carl.' He ordered.  
And that was that. We were.  
….  
When we got back to camp, Daryl went ahead while it seemed like to me everyone was staring but that might have been me being paranoid.  
My Dad hugged him briefly then looked at me, then at Merle. 'What's it about? Somethin' ya don't want the rest of the camp to hear?'  
'Yeah.' Daryl's voice was tight and Dad still looked worried.  
'Well, come on in then. All of ya?' He opened the flap to his and Daryl's tent.  
'We got somethin' to tell you.' Merle cleared his throat. Meanwhile my heart was thumping like crazy and I wished I'd asked not to be there.  
Daryl nodded.  
'Now, Carl's 18 – technically an adult and we've been seein' each other.' Typical Dixon, my older boyfriend didn't bother to beat around the bush when Dad could have done with the preparation. I was surprised Daryl didn't help out.  
Dad went pale and his eyes started out of their sockets at this.  
'Dad...' I started but one look at him silenced me. He looked at me like he didn't me anymore.  
'What?'  
'We've been seein' each other. Fuckin', screwin', suckin' each other off or whatever ya want to call it. I taught him good.'  
'Merle!' Daryl was aghast. Neither of us could have believed that he'd said that...to Dad of all people.  
'Well, seems like he needed me to spell it out more.'  
'What did you say?' Now Dad had him by the throat. 'Did you know about this?' He nodded at his boyfriend.  
Daryl had to nod. 'But it ain't like ya think...'  
I could tell Dad really wanted to beat the crap out of Merle but 1. we were in a tent (and good tents were hard to find) 2. Daryl got between them,trying to get them apart. But I had to give it to Merle, he wasn't fighting back.  
'I don't believe this.' Dad looked at me and shook his head and the tired, disappointed look I got from him was far worse than him hitting me or screaming would have been. But he'd never hit me in my life before – guess I was lucky that neither of my parents had believed in corporal punishment.  
'Dad, I'm sorry...It jus' happened...' Unconsciously I was using Merle's own excuse.  
'Get out both of you. I need to speak to my son alone.'  
'Ya gonna be OK, boy?' Merle asked me and I nodded before he allowed himself to be sheepishly pulled off by Daryl.  
Dad immediately turned to me with those tired eyes with the dark half-circles underneath them. They'd suddenly appeared this afternoon when he found out about me and the older Dixon and I felt immediately guilty because he didn't need me making things more difficult for him.  
'Carl...I don't understand. Was that true what Merle was sayin'? You're with him now?'  
I bowed my head. 'Yes, Dad. I don't understand it either...didn't think I like guys as well...'  
'But he's old enough to be your father! Hell, he's even older than me. What was he thinkin'?'  
'Dad...'  
His eyes narrowed. 'How? He's so much older than you...He touch ya, that it? Must have threatened you...'  
'It weren't like that. It was all me, at first anyway.'  
'You expect me to believe that?'  
He sighed and sat down when I didn't answer.  
'I never knew he was bi either...'  
'Never knew you were.' I bit back. That got him. 'When you told everybody that you were with Daryl, I was disgusted that you were sleeping with another man...'  
'I know it was a shock when we got together. For everybody and especially after your Mom...' I didn't need to say that it had stung me like a betrayal to her memory.  
'I think I hated you both for a long time after.' I couldnt' help sticking the knife in, it was like my mouth was talking for me. Letting all the poison out, saying the things we'd held back from saying to each other.  
'I know you did.'  
'I love you and whatever makes you happy is fine with me. Don't mean I have to like it...in fact, I still can't believe he's right for you. I jus' wanted better for you, that's all.'  
Why did he always have to say the right thing? 'Ya mean get married like normal people and have kids of my own? Not be a fag?'  
'Somethin' like that.' His mouth twisted in a wry little grin.  
'Isn't that a bit hypocritical, coming from you?'  
He mouth contorted again and he let out a small chuckle and just like that, the tension melted out of the tent.  
'I know Merle can be a bit...rough around the edges...' You don't know the half about it and I like it when he's rough with me.' I thought to myself. I knew that if I told my father about Merle liking me call him Daddy while he did me he'd lose whatever little self-control he had left and go out and murder him, Daryl or no. He wouldn't understand.  
'Just promise me something.' He took my face in his hands. 'Tell me he didn't...he didn't force you. Threaten you if you told...'  
'No, of course not!'  
'Did this start because he saved you from those men? That can affect you...make you think you feel something for him you don't...'  
'That weren't nothin' to do with it!' I protested.  
'Oh, don't you know that there are other ways to make someone think they want to do something or to pressure them into it...I used to see it in my job, remember? Child molestation cases...'  
I ripped my head away from his grasp. 'But I ain't a child no more! Told you Dad, it weren't like that! I made the first move!'  
But he still didn't believe me! I could tell by his eyes.  
'I was a dirty little slut, that what you want to hear? I begged him to fuck me so hard with his big, fat cock...'  
He slapped my face right then. Hard.  
'Carl...I'm so sorry...' He began, immediately horrified at what he'd done.  
'Fuck off, Dad! Just stay out of my life!' I ran out of the tent, breathing hard, my eyes watering with tears of rage as I wiped away at them furiously with the edge of my sleeve. I took some time to go outside and get myself under control where they used to teach me how to go hunting. It always calmed me down before. I don't know how long I was gone but when I opened his tent as quietly as I could and slipped in, he was snoring and I could smell the whiskey fumes. Where else did I have to go? 

 

Daryl

Later in our tent when I went towards Rick, he held out his hands to hold me off, his eyes hard. I had looked around but hadn't seen what I expected.  
'Where is he?' Carl was my first concern.  
'I hit him. He ran out.'  
'I know.' I replied. 'You shouldn't have done that.'  
'Don't ya think I know that?' He sighed. 'He accused me of treating him like a child and things got heated, then I lost it. He's probably with your brother right now.  
'Well, at least he can kiss it all better.' I joked then realised how that sounded to him when he glared at me.  
'I meant...' I shrugged, 'jus' leave them. You go after him, it'll only make things worse. Give 'em some space.'  
'Oh, I intend to.'  
There was an awkward pause.  
'How long?' He eyeballed me suddenly, breaking the silence.  
'Not long. Carl was turned 18 when it really started.'  
His eyes narrowed at me then I knew for sure that I had just shot myself in the foot.  
'Well, that's somethin' at least.' He retorted with bitter sarcasm. 'I meant how long have you been keeping it from me?' He asked with deadly patience...I knew that when he spoke at his quietest, that was when he was at his most dangerous.  
I took a deep breath and turned away. 'Rick....' I reached out to touch his arm but he shook me off furiously. 'I don't like it either. Told Merle to stay away from him but he wouldn't listen.'  
'I bet he didn't.' Now his voice rose but not too much. He didn't want the whole camp to hear.  
'Tell me, lover, how long did ya know that your brother was molestin' my son?'  
'Told ya, it weren't like that.'  
'Like he didn't do it to you?' His voice was the softest I'd ever heard it, just inviting me to confess everything but I wasn't falling for it.  
'What?' I recoiled back. 'Now that's jus' plain sick.' I got up to get my stuff. I wasn't staying and listening to this shit about Merle. 'I know you're angry with him but leave my brother the fuck out of it!'  
'Wait. I'm sorry.' He stroked my bare back gently, where my scars were. I shivered but I did stop. ''But ya Daddy weren't the only one who hurt ya, was he, Daryl?'  
'Don't talk about that shit! He's my brother!' I rounded on him, ignoring what he'd said about my past...he knew talking about my Dad was off limits unless I brought it up first. He must be just lashing out at me.  
'I jus' meant maybe he did somethin' and you jus' don't remember, blocked it out. Maybe he's always had a taste for...'  
'No he...did...not...!' Angry as hell at what he was implying, I didn't let him finish.  
He pulled me to him and I didn't fight back.  
'No, I don't think so. I'm sorry.' He put his arms around me and I breathed in his scent that I associated with being safe. His soft voice and touch – tentative at least at first - usually did that. Not saying that we didn't like rough sometimes.  
In fact most of the time. Well, I did anyway.  
When he hugged me like that I knew I was forgiven and I let out a shaky sigh of relief and my anger faded away.  
'He's my brother, Rick. But Carl's as much my son as he is yours...if I thought …if I thought he'd hurt him, I would have lynched him for ya myself.'  
'I know ya love him too.' He kissed my temple. 'I know ya would've.'  
'I'd kill for that boy,' I repeated fiercely, 'but if ya ever say that sick shit about my brother again, you and me are over!' I shoved at his chest. 'For good, I mean it this time!' I dug my nails into the top of his arms like a sissy when what I really wanted to do was punch him but the tent was too small.  
He didn't even cry out in pain but ran his fingers through my hair when I let go, in silent promise. Neither of us were in the mood to take things further tonight, damn exhausted emotionally and physically was what we both were even though it would have been a welcome release of pent up emotions and resentment.  
Still, just before he dropped off, I whispered against him, 'Don't hurt Merle, please, Rick. He didn't do nothin' wrong.'  
I wasn't sure if he heard me when he squeezed me briefly before his breathing got slower as he fell into a deep sleep.  
Tired as I was after the long day, it took me ages to do the same. 

…  
There was gossip in the camp at the latest scandal early next morning.  
'Can't believe...they're practically family...'  
'Yeah, he's his uncle, more or less....'  
'It's sick, is what it is.'  
'...must have taken advantage of him...'  
'He's 18 but still...sho knows how long it's been goin' on...'  
'Rick should have lynched the pervert on the spot even if he is Daryl's brother...'  
'Don't know what I would have done to the bastard who touched my kid...'  
Only Dale shrugged. 'Yes, that's right. Carl's 18, has the right to make his own decisions.'  
Andrea backed him up. 'Probably it's just some teenage crush, some sexual experiment (or Daddy fetish she mumbled under her breath) and if we don't make a big deal out of it, they'll soon get bored.' Neither of them got shocked easily.  
Merle strained to listen and his keen hunter's ears picked up the conversation that Carl, lying beside him couldn't. He'd slipped in while Merle was passed out from all the whiskey he'd drunk straight after the confrontation with Rick and had spooned himself around him from behind. 'They think I force ya to be with me, huh? Blind fools.' He grinned as he tenderly stroked his bare arm.  
The Dixon didn't want to wake him up because the boy looked so peaceful lying there and he enjoyed watching him sleep.  
That was until he stirred and half got up, resting himself on his elbows and the other side of his face was revealed.  
'What the fuck?' The Dixons' bellow could be heard from miles around and was so loud that even the bird stopped chirruping in the trees. 'What's that?'  
Merle leaned forward to gingerly touch the red mark in the shape of a large handprint without touching it. A man's handprint.  
'Ya Daddy do that?' Memories of Daryl covered in bruises assaulted him although he told himself that what their father did to them wasn't the same.  
Carl untangled his limbs from him and patted his cheek. It didn't hurt. Had his Dad hit him that hard?  
'No.' He lied instinctively at first. 'It was just a slap!'  
'Jus' a slap? Because of me? I'm gonna kill him!'  
'Leave it. I provoked him...'  
'Provoked him like hell!' Merle got up to furiously get dressed.


	7. Chapter 7

His 7

Uh oh...Rick only slapped Carl but hard enough to mark to set Merle the warpath. What's he going to do?  
Oh – contains some role-play smut so be aware. I don't know if it's good or not...I would love any comments!

 

A little earlier when the sun rose, Rick woke up earlier than Daryl.  
That's unusual. He thought to himself. Then it all came back to him – the events of day before. He'd hit Carl and Carl was with Merle!  
Impossible. For a couple of blessed seconds it had all seemed unreal, like a bad dream, a nightmare.

He looked down on his partner snoring gently on his chest and he knew it wasn't. It had all happened and Daryl knew but had hid it all from him. How could he have done that?  
That made him angry. Rick knew he should go and look for his son, apologise but he knew where he was and who he was with and he didn't want to go there. Not a coward by any means – he didn't know what he would do to the bastard who had seduced his boy even if his original intent was to make peace.

To put it in a nutshell, Rick simply didn't trust himself with Merle.  
He shook his head and sighed. Daryl stirred as if he'd felt him move in his sleep but still didn't wake up, so Rick made do with playing with his tussled hair. He wanted to get up and check up on Carl but at the same time he didn't want to disturb his lover. The leader knew that both Dixons slept so lightly normally that even if he eased him off him as gently as he could, he would no doubt wake. But maybe he could wake him up in a way he wouldn't mind. Like Daryl had done for him many times before - his very own human alarm-clock – he grew hard at the thought of it before he forced himself to focus on the current problem. If he couldn't get at Merle for what he'd done, he had his baby brother in his clutches and Daryl had betrayed him. Hadn't told him what that paedo bastard was doing to his teenage son.

Rick grinned – but it was a savage smile – more like a vicious twist of the lips. If Carl had seen him then he would have been shocked because right then his father looked more like a hungry wolf.

His father looked like a Dixon.  
Punishing Daryl could be fun, Rick thought and so he would go without the treat he so often gave Rick – waking him up with his mouth kissing, licking and sucking him alternatively between his thighs. No, the leader was too pissed off even he had forgiven him and he'd skip the delicious warm-up.  
With that, he yanked off the blanket covering them.  
…

Rick pushed Daryl off him and ignored his sleepy murmurs of protest. Just as he predicted, his eyes flicked immediately open seconds later and his mouth fell open as he was momentarily too surprised to speak.

Didn't matter, Rick was already tugging off the hunter's jeans then yanking off his black boxers. How Rick loved those on him – he'd acquired them for his last birthday on a run. Brand-new and made of real silk because of course they'd fallen asleep fully clothed last night. He liked especially how the clung to the contours of his baby's perfect backside.  
'Wha...?'  
'Shut up.' Rick snapped at him.  
Daryl rose an eye-brow because his boyfriend didn't often speak to him like that. 'What...what ya doin'?'  
'I said shut the fuck up.'   
The Dixon sniggered when he realised the game they were playing. One of his favourites where Rick really played out of character and took control.   
'Ya know what ya did. Lettin' ya brother put his filthy hands all over my son and not even tell me!'  
'I didn't let 'im...' He protested.  
'What did I say?' Rick hit him and split his lip, a hell of a lot harder than he'd hit Carl and Merle might have something to say about that later but right then, the ex-sheriff couldn't give a shit. 

Daryl's first instinct was to fight back and eliminate the threat but he stopped himself as he tasted the metallic tang of his own blood and even bowed his head in submission to play along. Still, the other man must have worried that he'd gone too far because he stroked his hair and whispered, 'Ya OK?' - going against the rules. This made the Dixon raise his head to look scornfully at him and lick the blood from around his lips with his tongue provactively and that decided his fate.

Rick tied his hands behind his back with his belt and Daryl let him. Part of him knew he had this coming and he should let his boyfriend get rid of some of the anger he was saving up for Merle and then things could hopefully settle down again. Anyway, the times the cop took charge were rare indeed.

'Ya let that sleaze of a brother of yours touch my little boy?' He began the interrogation like they were in a police-cell.  
'No, Rick, it weren't like that...'  
'I don't believe you. You're jus' covering up for him.'  
'No, I wouldn't. He's my son too...'  
'Yeah? Still, I'm gonna do everythin' to you that he did to my son. Make you feel everythin' he felt...'  
'No, please don't....' He pleaded but when Rick checked his eyes to see if he really meant it, he was pleased to see his own lust and excitement reflected back in them. He noticed ttoo that the Dixon trembling too but not with fear – after being so attuned to his body language and noises so long, he could tell the difference by now.  
Next, he sneered cruelly, looking even less like himself. 'Don't look like ya got a choice, does it?'  
'Do what ya want with me, jus' please don't hurt my brother...'  
'Why ya so intent on sacrificing yaself for that perverted waste of space ya call your brother?'  
'Don't call him that!' Daryl was stung and forgot to be submissive. 'He ain't a pervert! Never hurt anyone!'

'Stop defendin' him! Now I'm jus' gonna have to punish you instead. Besides, you betrayed me when you covered for him.' Rick cuffed him but held back this time. He regretted hurting his mouth before and marring those beautiful lips he admired so much.  
Daryl whimpered at that, turning Rick on even more. But it didn't matter because by then, he had grabbed his hair almost painfully and yanked it back and had him on his knees. Soon the leader was filling him with his mouth and apparently not caring if he choked him.  
'You deserve this.' He told him between moans as the Dixon worked him over with his skilful mouth and tongue.

Daryl growled in approval at this uncustomary rough treatment and the cop could see that he liked it. Sometimes he needed gentleness and soft words with long, slow caresses (at least at first) but this was not one of these times. Anyway, Rick was genuinely angry with him and it was coming out in their sex and when it was time for him to spill, he withdrew and came all over his face without warning. 

Daryl spluttered and looked up in adorable confusion with his spunk dripping off his face, making Rick take pity and clean him off with the rag he always carried in his pocket. In any case, he needed some time before they began Round 2. Better he showed him his true feelings for his part in Merle and Carl's relationship, even if he didn't wholly blame him because deep down, Rick knew that Daryl would never let Merle hurt Carl. At least not if he knew about it.  
'Do ya want me to untie you?' He whispered, checking that the belt wasn't too tight. It wasn't.

'No! More fun that way.' Daryl replied mischievously. 'I didn't tell you about Merle and Carl – ya need to punish me some more for that.' His voice was raspy not with fear but anticipation.  
Rick imagined sometimes his father punishing him – had he used similar words? Daryl had opened up a little about his childhood but there was still so much more his boyfriend didn't know and the leader was afraid to trigger him. 

'True right about that. The thought of them together makes me sick to my stomach.'  
It had taken more than a year for the leader to get him to the stage where he was comfortable with being restrained (Rick had a horrible suspicion that his father had tied him up but Daryl had never told him). Still, it had turned out that they both had a kinky side to them that Rick had never dared to explore with Lori. Truth was, he didn't know he'd be into shit like this back then or maybe she'd never excited him as much as Daryl could. Probably them being both men and that he didn't have to worry about being too rough with him had something to do with it.

Now Rick was busy preparing him with the lube and testing how many fingers he could slide in. He soon had the Dixon bucking and moaning, demanding more, soon enough. It seemed like he'd forgotten again to act his part and be reluctant.  
2 went in easy after he'd stretched him a little more but 3 then 4 were a bit difficult and he whined. Rick shushed him, falling out of character causing Daryl to laugh out loud in contempt.   
That's when the leader snarled and without warning, slid himself in. Daryl gasped at that and grimaced a little at the pain as he tried to readjust – Rick had deliberately not given him quite enough warming-up. But he did stop and let him get used to his considerable girth before he started moving, he wasn't that much of a sadist before he slowly at first started to pound into him.

'Ya sicko brother do this to Carl?' He panted.   
'I...I don't know!' Daryl whimpered and whined.  
'What do you mean you don't know?' Rick punctuated every word with a deep thrust into his lover, making him squirm and moan. 'Didn't he do it to you when you were his age?'   
'No....I swear he never touched me!' The Dixon gasped breathlessly.  
'A pity.' 

Daryl gasped at that even though he knew it was only pretend. Rick was still clearly obssessed with the fantasy of him and Merle together – replacing his son with Daryl at his age. Maybe it should have worried or disgusted him but it only turned him on the more.   
'Did he do this to him?' Rick changed his angle, missing the other man's prostrate.  
'Pro...probably....Oh, please...'

Rick snarled in his ear and kept it up. Now the Dixon was writhing and pleading in his need and trying to manouvre so that the other's thrusts would meet his most sensitive place head-on but he couldn't get there. Not when his boyfriend growled and grabbed him by the hair, almost brutally shoving him back down in place. In other words, telling him not to move.

After a few seconds, however, the ex-cop took pity and went back to the angle before to his partner's immense relief. But he doubled his speed instead, got rougher.  
'Ya know what, I should tie ya up more often...'  
'No...no...untie me....please..It hurts.... I don't like it...' But Rick clearly heard the opposite, ' especially when Daryl moaned breathily. After all, the trust was there and he hadn't used their safeword. It had taken the cop a long time to earn his trust from him and for all that, it was all the more precious. 

Rick pounded even harder and faster and he could tell that the Dixon was loving it as he writhed and groaned beneath him. Rick was rarely like this...and Daryl wished that he would be this brutal and commanding more but he couldn't find the words to tell him and destroy his new-found confidence, the leader had been so shy the first time. In fact, the hunter was in high heaven especially when the cop touched him in other places so that they more or less came together. It was just at that point when they were shuddering to a halt with Rick still half-inside him after spilling his seed that his brother burst through the tent, unzipping the flap rapidly as if he knew what they were up to and was determined to catch them at it. Even though he must have heard the noises they were making. Naturally, they didn't react quickly enough, lost in a blissful daze after their powerful orgasms and Daryl wouldn't have put it past him – he could be twisted that way. Even worse, to his deep mortification, he glimpsed Carl's aghast expression as he peeked behind Merle's brawny arm. 

'Oh fuck!' Rick hissed and shook his head as he slid out of Daryl. 'Didn't mean for you to see that, son.' He was mumbling sorry over and over and unable to meet Carl's eyes as he rushed to cover their nakedness with the blanket. After that, he hurried to untie his boyfriend's hands – Merle had been staring at Daryl with an unfathomable expression on his face but at least he was keeping the filthy comments they knew he was dying to say to himself in front of Rick's son.

'Don't look! Don't know why you followed me in the first place!' Merle himself considerately looked away finally to hiss angrily at the teenager over his shoulder but still Carl didn't move. It was like he was frozen, fixed to the spot with shock and horror, staring at them and Daryl couldn't blame him...Rick was his real father after all. Somehow, his two 'Dads' had managed for this not to happen - not with Judith either before when everyone knew when everyone else had sex unless you went into the woods or other places outside which was what most people did. They were living in a limited space in tents after all and people were too afraid to live too far apart from each other. Except the leader and his partner...they both figured that they were safer than the majority which were women and children and they wanted to be far enough away that whatever noises they made wouldn't carry but they couldn't guarantee the wind direction. For most of the group though, doing it early in the morning and late at night in their tents were the other possibilities.  
'I mean it! Shouldn't have followed me in the first place!' Merle turned back to the stunned boy. 'Get ya ass back to my tent!'

Despite his deep embarrassment, Rick's face flushed with anger when he heard the Dixon order his son to get back to his tent but it did the trick and Carl was off like a shot. Even though Merle knew that he was worried about what he was going to do his Dad and that's why he'd sneaked up behind him. The Dixon had been too furious with Rick to notice....Worse – Carl had had time to take in Daryl's split lips as well as his bound hands just as his father had seen the shallow cut on his cheek where he'd hit him the day before and gasped at the damage he'd inflicted. Although Daryl beat up wasn't an unfamiliar sight...he protected the group constantly from Walkers and other threats and he was a Dixon. 

Glaring at his big brother, Daryl also turned red for different reasons and looked away. 'Can't ya ever knock, Merle?' He snapped. In this way letting him know that it was safe to turn back round again. 'We were just...'  
'Yeah, I know what you were 'just' doin' and believe me, seeing you two screwing was the last thing I ever wanted to see either.' Merle had planned on rushing in there and had forgotten what they might be doing. He'd originally intended on dragging Rick out of his tent to give him a good old-fashioned talking-to up close and personal with his fists but seeing them like that had got in the way. Luckily, he'd been too surprised so that he didn't carry out his plan but it didn't mean that he was going to let Rick get away with hitting Carl either.  
He looked down at them. Rick had by this time managed to untie his brother's hands and Daryl was rubbing them. This made him beyond angry but he was determined to have it out with him like a man. 

'Yeah...ya like hitting people who can't fight back, don't ya, like ya boy?' Merle jerked his head at his brother's bleeding lips. 'I bet ya hit him after ya tied up his hands, ain't I right, you fuckin' coward?'

Rick did his best not to react to that but it was hard. He also didn't want to fall into the trap of telling the older brother what he did with the younger behind closed doors so to speak and giving him fantasy material t jerk off to. But Daryl himself had no such compunctions.  
'Merle...It was jus' a game, was all...' He started and put his arm restrainingly around Rick's shoulders. He was wondering why Merle was getting so worked up about a little cut lip. So? Rick had got a little bit rough with him when they were role-playing, had tied his hands behind his back - it was nothing and he'd probably derserved it. Then again, his big brother had always been protective with good reasons.   
'Ya sick, ya know that?' He attacked Rick again.

'Ya call me sick when you have sex with teenage boys?' This time there was no stopping the cop who had remained relatively restrained up to this point. Daryl got up with him and tried to get between them but Rick waved him aside. The fact that two of them were naked no longer seemed important.  
'Let's take this outside.' Merle started to leave.  
'Fine.' Rick followed. 'Bout time we got stuff out in the open.'  
Merle's infuriating smirk grew even bigger at the irony of that.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh....what's going to happen? 
> 
> Will Rick ever be reconciled to the idea of Merle Dixon and his 18 year-old son together?

Rick had nearly exited the tent when Daryl grabbed his arm and chuckled. 'Don't ya think ya better put some clothes on first, moron?'  
The leader whirled round and saw that he was butt naked. How could he forget?  
'Ya think this is funny, Dixon?' He only called him that when he was angry or in the role.  
Daryl laughed. 'Well it is, ... kind of.' Rick remembered a time when Daryl rarely smiled, let alone laughed. Before they were together and he snorted and shook his head as he pulled on his pants, not bothering with underwear in his hurry.  
'Rick?' Merle called from somewhere nearby outside. 'Don't tell me ya lost ya balls already.'  
'Fuck you.' The cop muttered darkly but he replied loudly, 'Meet you and Carl at your tent.'  
'Righty-ho.' They heard his footsteps as he left.  
Daryl's face fell serious again and he grabbed his sleeve. 'Ya jus' gonna talk, right? Ain't gonna do nothin' stupid...'  
'No but if your brother pushes me...can't promise I'll keep my self-control.'  
The hunter sighed and started to pull on his own pants as well as his sleeveless shirt of course and annoyed as he was, Rick felt a thrill of lust pass from the top of him down to his feet at his beautiful, tanned and toned body. Even with his scars standing whitely out like that...if only Daryl would believe him when he told him how beautiful he really was.  
'Then I'm comin' with ya. In case things get out of hand.' Rick nodded and looked at him gratefully. He hadn't wanted to risk suggesting it first making him look less sure of himself.  
'You sure you want your boy there?' Daryl asked, frowning a little.  
'Yes. 'Cos like everybody keeps telling me, he's an adult and this is all about him after all.'  
….

Merle was lounging outside his dwelling blowing smoke circles in the air. Rick noticed with concern that there was no sign of Carl and immediately felt the panic rise within him although this fear was totally illogical.  
'He in there?' He jerked his head towards the closed flap of the tent.  
'Sure is...What took you so long? I nearly had time for Round 2 with him...'  
Even Daryl let out a snort of disgust at that. Rick's face flushed red and he clenched his fists to strike before he realised that it was virtually impossible in the time it took for them to get there.  
'Merle!' The younger brother snarled at the elder, 'Stop it.'  
Merle just chuckled.  
Just then the zip of the flap opened from the inside and the boy poked his head out of it. 'Shut up, Merle!' He was deeply embarrassed as his flushed cheeks showed.' As if.'  
'Come into my parlour, said the spider to the fly...' The Dixon sang and followed Carl back into the tent, motioning them to follow.  
'Is everythin' a joke to you?' Rick snapped at him once they were settled inside. It was really only a three man tent so all four of them were squeezed uncomfortably inside, especially when two of them hated each other's guts.  
Merle didn't answer but pulled Carl to him with one arm around his waist.  
Just to prove that he could.  
The boy's blushes grew even deeper as he looked up at his father almost apologetically before he shoved him off him.  
'I'm here to lay down some ground rules.' The leader began directly like he did in group meetings because if he was honest with himself, he couldn't wait to get out the hell out of there. Watching the older Dixon paw his son had that effect on him and he wished that he could just drag Carl away with him.  
Merle crossed his arms and one foot over the other and leaned back casually.  
'I'm listenin'.' He said earnestly but there was a mischievious twinkle in his eye  
'Ya know, chances are this is just a phase. He'll get bored with you soon enough.'  
'Don't tell me what I'm gonna do, Dad!' Carl almost yelled back at him while Merle smirked and nodded.  
'I can't believe you're serious about him, son. He's so old for you...Why don't ya find a nice girl ...or boy (he hastily corrected himself) your own age?' He deliberately didn't look at the Dixon.  
'A bit less of the old, Officer Friendly!'  
Rick ignored him but he was thinking, you're lucky I didn't cut your balls off and feed them to you! If you weren't Daryl's brother …  
'Because I don't want anyone else. 'Sides, there ain't no-one.' Carl bit back, his eyes blazing and now he leaned back against the older man who put an arm around his shoulders and smirked up infuriatingly up at Rick. The teenager couldn't tell his Dad how safe he felt with the older Dixon and how much sheer pleasure he gave him that he'd never experienced with anyone else before. Merle could make him scream using those tricks he'd learned in prison and in the navy when it had just been him and other men and no women.  
'Yeah, and at least I don't hit him.'  
'That happened one time!'  
'One time is one time too many. Ain't that what you cops say down at the cop-shop?'  
Daryl had to hold him back from behind when it seemed like the exchange was going to turn even nastier, if that was possible.'  
'I swear, if you ever hurt him...'  
'Come on, Rick. Let's get out of here. You said your piece.'  
'Get off me!' The cop roared and even Daryl drew back in surprise. He'd only tried to pull him with him to leave.  
'I only meant ya can see that Carl's OK...'  
Rick rounded on Merle although looking at them together made him want to vomit – literally. 'Come with me, son.' He pleaded softly with him but by then, Merle had a small, proprietary smile on his lips while he stroked Carl's arm softly with the tips of his fingers and even Rick had to admit to himself that he'd never expected him to be this gentle with his son. Somehow it didn't look like an act put on for show.  
'This is just a phase...'cos he saved ya back in the woods that time and ya jus' experimentin', is all.'  
'Don't bring that up again, Dad!' Carl shivered at the memory of the attack and curled towards the Dixon who held him tighter.  
'Now look what ya gone and done!' Merle scolded but he was smiling like the cat who got the cream and Rick wanted to punch him senseless.  
'I only meant...ya confused, don't know what you want. I know I wasn't there for you – that's all this is.' The leader was flustered from saying exactly the wrong thing and shooting himself and his cause in the foot, so to speak.  
'Don't patronise me, Dad! I know what I want and I want Merle!' The youth suddenly yelled loudly enough for the whole camp a short distance away to hear. Probably that was his intention all along.  
Merle's smug grin grew even wider, if that was possible. 'Told you.'  
'Keep out of it, bro. You're only making things worse.' Daryl intervened. 'Let it go, Rick. Ya can see he wants to stay here.' This time he was met with no resistance as he tried to yank him away but the cop wasn't done yet. Waving his finger in front of Merle's face, he had one last thing to say. 'This won't last, you and both me know that, Dixon. Jus' cos' you've brainwashed him somehow...'  
Merle opened his mouth to reply with some smart retort but it was his young boyfriend who got there first.  
'He didn't do nothin'...it was me – all ME. He even said we shouldn't...' Carl was repeating his arguments from earlier but like before, they failed to impress his father.  
'Oh, I bet he did...' Rick as a cop, knew all about manipulation of the young and how predators did it.  
Meanwhile, Daryl was slowly succeeding in manoeuvring him towards the flap and outside and this time, he allowed him. Finally, he had it unzipped and went through, pulling Rick after him.  
'Think about it though, son. Promise me?' He called back to his son but got no answer for his trouble. But had he really expected one? To his increasing irritation, Rick thought he glimpsed Merle's hand stretch out and do the flap up again and the visions of what they might be doing as soon as they were gone made him want to rush back. Force his son to come with him.  
'Don't.' Daryl shook his head as if he had just read his mind. 'Ain't nothin' ya can do unless you want to make him hate you. It'll only make things worse, besides, Merle ain't gonna hurt him.'  
'Just like he didn't hurt you?' They were walking back briskly to the main camp and Rick was lashing out.  
Daryl stopped in his track suddenly and grabbed him by the throat to snarl in his face as quietly as he could. 'Stop it with all this shit about him touchin' me when I was young. He may be an asshole but he ain't a pervert - I'm tellin' ya it never happened!' He released him with so much force that Rick nearly took a tumble backwards and only straightened himself in time.  
'Maybe not. But the thought of it turns me on and at least it distracts me from what your brother's doing with Carl tonight at least.  
'Sick fuck.' Daryl hissed shook his head and he wasn't talking about his brother as he pretended to be disgusted when the very opposite was true. In fact, he couldn't wait to get Rick back home as he quickened his stride but he would die before he would admit it to him. Last night he'd had a lot of fun with him in charge and he secretly wished he would tie him up and push him around more often and he enjoyed this kinky, dark side to his lover.  
But they didn't get to make it back to their tent, not then anyway.  
….  
Because as soon as they drew closer to the main camp, they were immediately mobbed by people.  
Daryl heard things like 'What did you say to him?', 'Is it true about Carl and Merle – they really together?'  
'How can you stand by and let it happen? He's your son!'  
Rick noticed that the only people who weren't standing in judgement over him were Andrea, Dale and Carol who were watching and listening to everything carefully. He nodded his thanks to them.  
'Carl's 19 next month and he's a consenting adult so that ain't really much I can do. Can't say I like it more than any of you either but then that's that.'  
'But there's 30 years age difference between them!' Someone from the back yelled – a newcomer that Rick didn't know yet and he felt a surge of irritation that this bastard showed his gratitude for him letting him stay by criticising him in public.  
'I know that. It's an unconventional relationship but still...' He replied evenly and it took all his willpower not to let his anger show. 'Carl's made his choice and I would appreciate it if you all could respect that.'  
'Yeah and my brother ain't done nothin' wrong!' Daryl backed him up.  
'Well you would say that!' Someone sniped from the back.  
'Come out and say that to my face!' The Dixon could look menacing when he was angry and the offending voice quickly grew silent.  
'Anyone else want to accuse my brother of somethin'?'' Rick stared at him in awe, jaw slack. Daryl had just controlled the mob where he'd failed. 'Come out to the front!'  
Silence. Now most of the group were shifting on their feets nervously and looking down at the ground.  
'Come on. Let's have it out if anyone has a problem with my brother and Carl.' He commanded again.  
More silence. Some of the crowd even looked a little shame-faced.  
'Good. I don't want to hear anyone talking behind their backs or saying shit to their faces either. You remember that you had your chance to say what you wanted to say. Got that?'  
People nodded before they began to drift off back to their tents.  
'You did real good, babe.' Rick clapped him on the back as soon as they were home. 'You were like...oh I don't know...fuckin' Ghandi or somethin'...'  
'Yeah...yeah...' Daryl shrugged with characteristic modesty.  
'Ya were so damn powerful...nearly came in my pants watching you in front of the group just then...'  
Daryl slid his own pants off without seizing on those words and turning them into sexy innuendo or an offer like Rick was hoping for.  
'Still I see why they think Merle ...I could kill him sometimes!' Daryl raged, distracted.  
'Sh...' He leaned forward to kiss him but the Dixon avoided his mouth, determined to finish what he had to say. 'At first I thought he was doing it just to get back at you for taking me away from him but I think he really does care about Carl.' Daryl was thinking about the time recently Merle stood up to Rick on his behalf.  
'I still ain't happy but ya made me realise that the more of a deal I make of it, the longer it's going to go on. Hopefully, it's just a phase he'll grow out of.'  
'Hopefully.' His boyfriend replied but didn't sound convinced when Rick finally seized his lips and they tumbled to the floor.


End file.
